The Spice of Life
by jyorraku
Summary: Nikita gets promoted and goes topside.


(Posted Saturday 1/22 on DW)

**Title: **The Spice of Life  
**Author:** jyorraku  
**Rating: **PG  
**Fandom: **Nikita  
**Category:** Fluff.  
**Characters:** Michael/Nikita  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.  
**Summary:** Nikita gets promoted and goes topside.

Michael took the seat across from Nikita. By now she could tell it was him without as much as a glance.

She spooned the dishwater soup and allowed it to dribble slowly onto the cardboard bread on her tray. "Café Division could become the next lethal weapon. Death by blandness." It was only Amanda's presentation drills and psychological rewiring that prevented her from slumping over the table with utter ennui.

He smirked despite himself. "It's a good thing I'm taking you out then."

Her pulse fluttered, but outwardly, she was all experienced calm and seriousness. "A mission?"

"No. You've been promoted to full field agent. I'm taking you to your new accommodations."

Soon they were standing in the middle of a studio apartment. Rays of sunshine beamed through the large French doors that led out to a balcony. Nikita turned herself in circles, gawking as politely as she could, half listening to Michael's instructions.

"What you do when you're off duty is your business. Just remember the rules and answer your phone."

Nikita finally refocused on him. "Do you have a place like this too?" she asked after a long beat, a picture of innocent curiosity.

"I don't live in Division, if that's what you're insinuating," Michael answered wryly.

"Could have fooled me." She realized she would be by herself soon and it exhilarated and frightened her all at once. "So what do you do when you're off duty?"

"You want the whole hour, or just the first thirty minutes?"

She didn't know how to respond to that. Frankly, she just wasn't sure if he was teasing her or not. To her, he seemed to live and breathe Division. She scratched her ear in mild sheepishness.

He found her gesture adorable. But he caught himself and scowled at his own wayward thought. "Like I said, that's no one's business but mine," he said flatly, crossing his arms.

Nikita made a face and stopped short of sticking her tongue out at him. "Fine, don't tell me. It's not like you're supposed to be a role model or anything." She turned around and closed her eyes to the ray of sunlight that streamed over her face. How strange it was, to feel the sun resting on her skin. She couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by the sudden change in scenery. No mission to go over, no target to analyze, just an empty new place.

She seemed alone, without direction. Michael sighed. "Nikita."

"Yes, Michael?"

"I would first go about stocking the frig. I've been told Division food is a bit on the dull side."

Her eyes widened comically at the new possibilities. He faced her giant grin with a small smile of his own. He moved to leave, but not before reminding her of her duties. "When the phone rings—"

"Pick it up? I know how it works, Michael." Both the phone and the job.

"Your code name?"

"Josephine."

"So you were listening."

She feigned shock and injury. "To you? Always."

He raised a dubious eyebrow, but said no more, closing the door behind him.

Nikita was also listening when Michael deflected her question about his own place. It wasn't fair. He knew where she lived but she didn't know where he lived. She couldn't do anything about it back then, but now, she had a car, and she had free time. She cracked open the door, watched him take the elevator and immediately took the stairwell down, two steps at a time, rushing into the garage and starting her new car. She laid in wait, counting as Michael's car pulled out of the garage. She tailed him. They drove with one car in the front, the other two cars back, for about ten blocks. Then Nikita heard screeching tires ahead of her and sure enough, Michael was gone.

Nikita scoffed. "Asshole."

She sat back and took note of her surroundings through her tinted car windows. There, in front of her, was a large building with big red letters in front of it.

WORLD FOODS SUPERMARKET

She blinked and couldn't help a grin. "Or not. Be still my heart." She could already smell the spices.


End file.
